3 Kansas vs 11 Indiana Player Ratings and Recap

3 Kansas 99 vs 11 Indiana 103

Kansas Jayhawks: 6.65

C Landen Lucas Sr. 6

Lucas was productive in the post. He shored 11 points, including five from the FT line. He also had 7 rebounds. Somehow Lucas was in position to turn the ball over three times. Lucas had a tough task assigned to him, facing Thomas Bryant on defense. Lucas is a pretty good defender inside, but Bryant is one of the best bigs on offense in the country. Lucas was one of four Jayhawks to foul out. At least he made it deep into overtime though.

F C.Bragg Jr. So. 5.5

Bragg only played 18 minutes due to foul trouble. He ended up fouling out with six minutes to go in regulation. Bragg got his offense going early in the game. He ran the floor well, and had good positioning on offense. Bragg scored 12 points on 6-7 shooting. Three of his four rebounds were on the offensive end. Bragg needs to learn to play defense without fouling. He is one of the keys for Kansas this year.

F Josh Jackson Fr. 4.5

Josh Jackson did not have a very god debut for Kansas. He looked very raw on both ends of the floor. Jackson finished the game 3-11, scoring 9 points. He was in foul trouble for most of the game, but as the only Kansas starter not to foul out. Jackson did grab 6 rebounds, but he as Kansas' biggest player by the end of the game.

G D.Graham Jr. 6

Graham is one half of one of the best backcourts in the college game this year. Graham was the team's second leading scorer with 16 points. However, he shot just 3-11, and 2-6 from 3pt range. Half of Graham's points were earned on the charity stripe. He was 8-9 from the line. Graham was one of the four Kansas players to foul out.

G F.Mason III Sr. 9.5

Mason is the current leader for National Player of the Year. He was tremendous, and single handedly kept Kansas in this game. Mason's ability to get to the basket and score, despite his size, is incredible. It did not matter who Indiana tried to guard him with, including 6'8 OG Anunoby, Mason could not be stopped. Now, he did shoot just 1-5 from beyond the arc, but he made 13 of 15 free throw attempts. Mason has a great nose for the ball, and high IQ. He grabbed 7 rebounds, and 9 assists. He played 40 minutes, and scored 30, before fouling out at the end of the game.

G Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk Jr. 7.5

Mykhailiuk will come off the bench this year, but he will play starter minutes. He is a spark on offense, and looks more assertive this season. He played with some swagger, and was more than just a catch-and-shoot guy. He finished with 12 points on 5-9 shooting, making two of five from beyond the arc. Mykhailiuk added 4 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 assists.

C Lagerald Vick So. 6

Vick played 28 minutes this game, up from his 4.1 average his freshman season. Vick was not one of the primary scoring option, when he was on the floor, but he showed he could knock down a shot. He was 2-5, with a three. He did not appear to be anything special on defense against Indiana's guards, but did finish with two steals.

C Udoka Azubike Fr. N/A

Did not play enough to qualify.

Team Overview:

Kansas looked really good at times, but they are not particularly balanced. They are driven by their backcourt, primarily Frank Mason III. Graham and Mykhailiuk are nice complements on the wing, but Jackson needs to develop into a second star quickly. Bragg also looks like he can be a nice power forward, excelling on the boards, and running out in transition, but he is still raw on the defensive end, and has to stay out of foul trouble. Kansas looks like a much smaller team than they were a year ago, and had little answer to Thomas Bryant inside.

Indiana Hoosiers: 7.95

F/C T.Bryant So. 9

Thomas Bryant looked like a special player last night. He's a complete big man, who can score inside or out, and also play good defense, and grab a bunch of boards, especially on the offensive end. Bryant did foul out, late in regulation, and that will be something that will have to be monitored in future games. Bryant finished with a double-double, 19 points and 10 rebounds. He looks like a star.

F OG Anunoby So. 7

Aununoby is a versatile player. All of his shots came from beyond the arc, and he made three of seven. Some of those shots were poorly selected though. Anunoby can guard multiple positions, and even guarded Mason at one point (to no avail). He finished the game with 13 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 blocks.

G James Blackmon Jr. Jr. 10

Blackmon proved to be the leader of this team, especially late in the second, and in overtime. He was the team's leading scorer with 26. He shot a high percentage 8-17, including 4-8 from three point range. Blackmon was aggressive to the basket as well, and made 6-7 from the FT line. He added 6 rebounds. Blackmon showed he's back, and Indiana, maybe, won't miss Ferrell so much.

G Robert Johnson Jr. 6.5

Johnson only played 21 minutes due to foul trouble, and fouled out before the end of regulation. He was an efficient scorer though, making three of six shots for 10 points. Johnson is a nice offensive player behind the top options of Blackmon and Bryant.

G Josh Newkirk Jr. 6

Newkirk has the tough task of replacing Yogi Ferrell. He was not a little quiet this game, with Blackmon and Bryant having louder games. However, Newkirk just needs to set the pace for the offense, and avoid mistakes. He did that. Newkirk shot just 2-8, scoring 7 points. He also had 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 turnovers.

F Juwan Morgan So. 7.5

Morgan played really well off of the bench. Morgan gives the team additional size, and the team looked good with Bryant, Anunoby, and Bryant on the court together. Morgan did end up fouling out in overtime. He finished the game with 6 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists.

G Curtis Jones Fr. 8

Curtis Jones also played well coming off the bench. He played just 16 minutes, but scored 15 points. It seemed as tough every shot the freshman took was going in, but I suppose that's a bit of hyperbole, only half of his shots went in. Jones finished 5-10, and 2-3 from beyond the arc, for 15 points. He looks like a nice asset for this team.

G Devonte Green Fr. 6

Green is a less heralded freshman than Jones, but got some playing time this game with Johnson fouling out. Green was 1-2, taking both of his shots from behind the 3pt arc.

F De'Ron Davis Fr. N/A

Did not play enough to qualify.

Team Overview:

Indiana looked very good against a team ranked #3 in the nation. Bryant is a star in the frontcourt with multiple skills. Indiana is capable of playing both big, and small, and they are effective either way. James Blackmon is healthy, and looks ready to pick up the mantle. Anunoby needs to be a little more flexible on offense, 3-7 from outside isn't bad, but some of his misses were bad shots, and he didn't even look to score inside. He could be much better with a more well rounded offensive game. Indiana has a nice bench too. Morgan is a nice glue guy, and Jones can come off the bench and score. The one question I have for this team is their perimeter defense. They really struggled containing Mason III, but maybe everyone will. Indiana was the most impressive team opening night.

Player Ratings and Recap from the Champions Classic: Kansas Jayhawks vs Michigan State Spartans

This year I am recapping games in a similar fashion that soccer matches are recapped. Following a game, each player receives a rating 1-10 based upon their performance. Over the course of time you can see how they are playing in stretches, and how the team overall is performing based upon the form of their players. I think this is an effective way to evaluate basketball games. Especially when, at the end of the season, it is not always the most talented team that wins, or the team that had the most victories during the season, but the team that is experiencing the greatest of run of form. So, with no further introduction, here are player ratings from the ESPN Champions Classic game between 4 Kansas and 13 Michigan State, where Michigan State stormed back in the second half to win. 

Still to come is my recap of last night's Kentucky-Duke game. 

4 Kansas 73 vs 13 Michigan State 79

This was my first chance to see both Kansas and Michigan State this season. I watched most of the game, but was often distracted, and missed the first part of the second half.

Kansas Jayhawks

F Perry Ellis: 7.5

Perry Ellis looked like the best player on Kansas' team against the Spartans. He scored, a team high, 21 points on 9-18 shooting. He was one for two beyond the arc. Ellis only grabbed six rebounds, but three of them came on the offensive end. He became less effective in the second half, making only three of seven shots in the second frame.

F Jamari Traylor: 4.5

Traylor got the start for Kansas in place of a yet to be cleared by the NCAA freshman. He is not a forward with high offensive potential. He averaged less than five points per game last season, while playing more than 20 minutes. Traylor scored six points this game, going one for one, and hitting all four of his free throw attempts. Traylor, along with Landen Lucas, led the Jayhawks in rebounds, with seven. Traylor only played 18 minutes, because he

G Frank Mason III: 5.5

Frank Mason shot a spectacular 43% from three last season. Unfortunately for Kansas, he went 0 for 3 from that range against Michigan State. In all, he went just 5-15, 33%, from the field, and scored 14 points. Despite not being an efficient scorer, Mason contributed in other ways. He grabbed five rebounds, dished out three assists, and also picked up three assists. Mason also only turned the ball over once despite playing 34 minutes, and often handling the ball while Kansas was on offense.

G Wayne Selden Jr: 4.5

Seldon was an even less efficient scorer than Mason. He shot 3-12, although he was better from three, going two for six from that range. Seldon hit a clutch 3pt shot late in the game to take a one point lead at the time, but Michigan State ended up taking the lead back, and keeping it. Seldon scored twelve points total in the game. Seldon was not much of an asset defensively this game, and he turned the ball over twice.

G Devonte' Graham: 4

Graham seemed to disappear for long stretches. He ended up shooting just one for nine, and missed all four of his 3pt shots. For the game, he scored only four points, and also had four assists, while turning the ball over once. Through two games Graham is shooting only 20%, which is disappointing considering he was expected to become a much more prominent part of the offense this season as a starter. On the plus side though, Graham has averaged only a single turnover through two games, and has averaged six assists.

F Landen Lucas: 6

Lucas was the first man off the bench in this game, and also led Kansas reserves in minutes played. This was a changeup to the previous game when Carlton Bragg led backups in minutes. Lucas only scored two points on one for five shooting. However, he was a bigger factor on the defensive end. He also grabbed seven rebounds, in 14 minutes played. So, he grabbed a rebound every two minutes he was on the court.

F Carlton Bragg Jr: 5

Bragg made a quick impact on the game late in the first half after he made two jump shots in a span of a minute and thirty seconds. Those became the only two shots he took all game though. It's frustrating that Bragg started the game encouragingly, but then became a complete non-factor. Perhaps, the Jayhawks wanted to stay small to better defend MSU's three guards, and Lucas provided better rebounding—Bragg finished the game with zero rebounds. Bragg has the higher upside though, and if he is consistently hitting a mid range jumper, he could become a strong offensive player.

G Sviatoslav Mykhailuk: 5

Myhailuk came in and provided some solid minutes in the first half. The highlight of his night came in the first half when he grabbed a defensive rebound, and took the ball down the court, and finished at the rim on the other side. That was his only field goal though, and went one for four throughout the course of the game.He finished the game with four points, a rebound, and two assists, while playing twelve minutes.

C Chieck Diallo: N/A

I was incredibly disappointed that the NCAA did not make a decision regarding Chieck Diallo in time for this game. This was a game that I, like many others, had highlighted on the schedule, and it's a shame Diallo was not able to participate. I

Team Rating: 5.33

Kansas was playing very well in the first half led by Perry Ellis. Then Denzel Valentine took over in the second half, and Kansas had no answer for him. Kansas did a bad job of defending the inside. They let guards, Valentine, drive inside too easily, and posed no threat protecting the rim. The team blocked just one shot. They were also out rebounded 35 to 45. Despite these deficiencies, this was a game Kansas was in a position to win. They grabbed seven steals, and shot an incredibly impressive 80% from the free throw line. However, the Jayhawks ultimately scored due to inconsistent shooting by their guards, and Perry down the stretch. This would have been a much different game if Chieck Diallo had played. The two things Kansas struggled at most: defending the interior and rebounding, are what Diallo excels at.

Michigan State Spartans

F Matt Costello: 6.5

Michigan State is not a particularly big team, and Costello serves as their big man. He was not a huge part of the offense, but was a consistent contributor. He scored 10 points, shooting four of seven. He was in foul trouble since picking up a technical late in the first half, and picked up his fourth foul with seven minutes to go, and fouling out with less than a minute to play. However, Costello did well to stay in the game for quite a while down the stretch, and played some clutch defense down the stretch. His only block of the game came with less than a minute to go when he swatted a Wayne Seldon layup. Costello will be a big part of this team as the Spartan's biggest player. Luckily, he should get some help from top-50 recruit Devonta Davis.

F Javon Bess: 6

Despite starting the game, Bess only played 15 minutes. He did finish the game with four fouls, but that should not have effected his playing time too much. He picked up his second foul with about eight minutes to go in the first, and did not pick up a third foul until there was 13 minutes left in the second. Bess is an undersized forward, at 6'5. He blocked two shots, both of which came early in the first, and grabbed only a single rebound, which also came early in the first. Bess scored six points, shooting three of four, and all of his points were scored—you guessed it, in the first half. Bess was not playing poorly, so Tom Izzo must have kept Bess out much of the second half because Devonta Davis and Matt McQuaid were helping the team mount a comback. That's fair. Bess still played well in limited minutes, and should get more of an opportunity in the future.

G Denzel Valentine: 10

Denzel Valentine (funny, I definitely just typed “Denzel Washington” instead of Valentine. Oops.) is staking an early claim to National Player of the Year. He was responsible for Michigan State's comeback victory. Valentine scored 29 points, shooting 10-23, and 3-9 from three point range. More impressively though, Valentine had a triple-double as he also recorded 12 rebounds, and 12 assists. Michigan State made 28 field goals during this game. Valentine made 10 of them, and assisted another 12, which means there were only SIX field goals he did not have a direct hand in—that's 79% of Michigan State's offense.

And this is what a perfect-10 looks like.

G Bryn Forbes: 7

Forbes was primarily just a shooter last season; he shot 43% from three, and averaged just 1.4 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game. This season does not appear to be much different. He finished the game with zero assists, and just one rebound. However, he does shoot really well, and scored 13 points on 4-8 shooting, and was 50%, 3-9, from three point range.

G Lourawls Nairn Jr: 3

Nairn is technically the “point guard” on this team, but really Valentine runs the offense, because he is a more highly skilled and dynamic player. So, Nairn is just an additional guard who does not shoot well. That is probably why he played only 15 minutes this game. Nairn scored two points, shooting one for five, and dished two assists.

F Devonta Davis: 6.5

Devonta Davis was Michigan State's highest touted recruit coming into this season. He is still a raw prospect on the offensive end, but is lauded for his rebounding, defensive abilities, and athleticism. Davis showed off his strengths in this game, grabbing six rebounds, and blocking two shots. He also scored four points, making one of his two field goal attempts. Davis was shown a lot of trust last night, as he played a lot in the second half, and the ended the game playing 23 minutes.

G Eron Harris: 2

Eron Harris was a standout player for West Virginia two years ago. He averaged over 17 points per game, and was expected to be one of the most impactful transfers this season. That has not panned out as of yet. Eron Harris has come off the bench in both games, and has only averaged 13.5 minutes and 3 points a game. Harris has struggled to score, shooting 27.3% from the field, and has yet to make a 3pt shot, these are the likely reasons he has yet to gain significant playing time for the Spartans. He scored two points, turned the ball over twice, and picked up three fouls in ten minutes this game.

G Matt McQuaid: 8

McQuaid is four-star freshman known for his ability to shoot the three. That is exactly what he did in this game. He scored nine points, shooting three for three from beyond the arc, and 3-5 overall. He also blocked a shot in the waning minutes of the game. The one negative part of his game last night, were the three turnovers he gave up. He will need to protect the ball better if he wants to continue to receive significant playing time.

F Colby Wollenman: 5.5

Wollenman came in and played some good minutes. He had six rebounds, three assists, and scored four points in just 13 minutes. Wollenman was responsible for a team high, three turnovers though, and again, in just 13 minutes.

Team Rating: 6.75

Michigan State did not look like a top-ten team in the first half. However, Denzel Valentine took his game to new level in the second half, and made every one on his team 5x better. He is a special college player, and by far the best I have seen play this year (and I've seen some good ones play: Kentucky freshmen Skal and Murray, Brice Johnson, Malcolm Brogdon, Buddy Hield, Perry Ellis, Cat Barber, Georges Niang, and Trevor Cooney...ha! I was just kidding about Cooney.) The rest of the players on this team are good, but there is no clear number two next to him. Costello, Bess, Forbes, and Nairn are all suited as role players, and although Davis has high upside, I don't think he reaches that level this season. That leaves Eron Harris. Harris showed he could be a top scorer while at West Virginia, and Michigan State needs him to be just that if they want to make a serious run in March. If Kansas had Chieck Diallo this game, I think Michigan State would have lost handedly. So, despite the win, they have quite a bit of work to do. Still, this is a very solid team, and I think they are definitely a top ten team. Right now, I definitely have them above Iowa State and Virginia of the teams I have seen. But, they are probably still behind Oklahoma. I will have my complete ranking of the teams I have seen this coming Monday. So, you will have to wait till then to see where Michigan State ends up. 

College Basketball Countdown Player Ratings and Recap: Syracuse Orange, Virginia Cavaliers, Oklahoma Sooners, and Memphis Tigers

Here are player ratings and recaps from three games that took place the last couple days during ESPN's College Basketball Countdown. I will also be doing separate posts for last night's Kentucky-Duke game, and Kansas-Michigan State game. The game's included in this post are Virginia's upset 
at George Washington, Oklahoma at Memphis, and Syracuse's come from behind salvaging against St. Bonaventure.


The usual disclaimer: This year I am recapping games in a similar fashion that soccer matches are recapped. Following a game, each player receives a rating 1-10 based upon their performance. Over the course of time you can see how they are playing in stretches, and how the team overall is performing based upon the form of their players. I think this is an effective way to evaluate basketball games. Especially when, at the end of the season, it is not always the most talented team that wins, or the team that had the most victories during the season, but the team that is experiencing the greatest of run of form. 

Monday 11/16


6 Virginia @ George Washington

Virginia Cavaliers

C Mike Tobey 5

Tobey was great in the first half. He scored all of his 10 points. He consistently showed a left handed hook shot while posting up, which was impossible to guard due to his size, and even hit a 3pt shot. If just grading his first half than Tobey would have an eight or nine. However, he completely disappeared in the second half, failing to score a single point. His struggles were not limited to the offensive end in the latter half though, he was terrible on defense. He provided no bite under the basket for the Cavaliers. George Washington consistently drove the ball to the basket, and had no problems scoring, because Tobey was never a threat. How does a 7'0 center not record a single block playing 30 minutes? Tobey's performance underneath the basket is important because he is replacing Darion Atkins, who was named an All-ACC Defensive Team player last season. The lack of a rim protector lost this game for Virginia. Now, Tobey stayed foul trouble free, but again, that is because he never threatened shooters in the paint, and ultimately he did nothing in the second half despite playing most of it. In addition to his 10 points, Tobey also grabbed seven rebounds.

F Anthony Gill 5.5

Gill ended up playing only 23 minutes last night, because he was consistently in foul trouble. He picked up his second foul with more than 10 minutes to play in the first half, and ended the game with four fouls. Even when on the court Gill was not especially effective. He ended the game four for eight from the field, and hit three free throws, scoring 11 points total. He added five rebounds total. Gill needs to play more than just 23 minutes, and be a more dynamic player, on offense and defense, for this team to play up to their potential.

G Darius Thompson 3

Darius Thompson, the Tennessee transfer, played well in the opener. He scored 12, while rebounding six balls, and adding four assists. He also grabbed three steals. He was not nearly as effective against George Washington however. Thompson got into foul trouble early against GW, and that continued in the second half. He played 23 minutes (which was equal to the opener when he only fouled once), and scored only five points, with two rebounds, and an assist. Thompson only shot two for six from the field, and made one of four threes.

G Malcolm Brogdon 9.5

I made a note late in the first half. It was a comment that Brogdon was not taking charge late in the half with Virginia down. That note was erased in the second half. Brogdon led the charge down the stretch, and if the Cavaliers had gone on to win, he would have been the only reason why.. He was absent from my preseason All-ACC first team, but this game has caused me to rethink that assessment. Brogdon finished the game with 28 points on 9-18 shooting. He was also 9-10 from the free throw line, making making many free throws late in the game in clutch situations. Brogdon also picked up eight rebounds, and led his team with four assists. He also only turned the ball over once all game. There are only two reasons why Brogdon did not earn a perfect-10. 1) Virginia lost, and 2) he shot only one for five from three point range. Brogdon is at his best driving to the basket, that was on display in this game, but he needs to be an effective shooter from range as well. Virginia lacks shooters, which means the ones they have need to be reliable.

G London Perrantes 3

Perrantes had a very disappointing game. He scored five points, playing 33 minutes. He shot only two for eight from the field, 25%, and one for four from beyond the arc, also 25%. Perrantes also turned the ball over, a team high, three times, and assisted teammates on only two occasions. Futhermore, Perrantes has the reputation of being a lockdown defender, but he did not look like it this game, despite grabbing two steals.

F Isaiah Wilkins 3

Isaiah Wilkins was the first man off the bench for the Cavaliers. However, he did not make much of his opportunities. Wilkins scored zero points, and took only one shot. He also turned the ball over twice in fourteen minutes. He also was not an asset on defense. He got exposed when helping on defense, and was late rotating to players on switches. He also over committed defending on the perimeter, and was beaten off the dribble. He was not impressive.

G Devon Hall 4

Devon Hall led the bench in minutes played, 19. He shot only one for six, and missed all three of his three point attempts. He would often dribble into trouble in the lane, and miss layups in traffic. On the bright side, Hall was a good ball handler. He finished the game with two assists, and no turnovers.

F Evan Nolte 5

Nolte is not a player I am very high on. I skewered him in my ACC Preview. However, Nolte scored some in limited minutes. He shot two for three, and made one of his two 3pt attempts. He lead the bench with five points. Nolte probably would have played more, but he picked up four fouls in just seven minutes. Nolte gives the team the ability to ditch their usual three guard lineup, and insert a traditional small forward. It will be interesting to see how Thompson and Nolte's minutes will be distributed when neither gets into foul trouble.

G Marial Shayok 4

Shayok is supposed to be a potential shooter off the bench for Virginia. However, he was just one for three from the field, and missed his only three point shot. He was also not an asset on defense.

C Jack Salt N/A

Salt picked up one of Virginia's two blocks. He did not play enough to be rated this game. However, he should of. He exhibits an aggressiveness beneath the basket that Tobey lacks on defense. #FreeSalt

Team Rating: 5.10

Virginia will lose their top-ten ranking next week after losing to unranked George Washington. This game opened up many questions that the Cavaliers now need to answer. Who will be their secondary scorer next to Brogdon? Who will hit three point shots? Who will be the team's rim protector? Is Tobey capable of defending under the basket? Who will replace Anderson on both sides of the ball? Tobey and Gill have a lot of potential on the offensive end. However, Tobey is an abysmal low post defender despite his size, and Gil needs to avoid foul trouble. Meanwhile, the backcourt is full of a bunch of scrubs besides Malcolm Brogdon. Brogdon looks like one of the best players in the ACC, and as a result this team should be better than they showed in this game. However, he is leading an otherwise mediocre team, and I am beginning to question how high they can finish in the ACC.

Tuesday 11/17

8 Oklahoma @ Memphis

I considered not recapping this game. I was watching, that is, I had it on. However, I was not paying as close attention as I usually do when viewing games I go on to recap. I ultimately decided to include this game in this post though, because I didn't get a chance to preview the national landscape beyond the ACC, and these are both teams I like this season.

Oklahoma Sooners

F Ryan Spangler: 8

Spangler spent most of the game playing under the basket for Oklahoma, though he is only 6'8. The only players bigger than him, Khadeem Lattin and Jamuni McNeace, played only a combined 16 minutes. Despite his lack of size, Spangler is a gritty player down low. He finished the game with 11 points and 12 rebounds, including four rebounds on the offensive end. He was 5-10 shooting, missing both of his 3pt attempts. He also blocked two shocks. Somehow, despite playing down low, Spangler turned the ball over four times. Oklahoma as a team turned the ball over an astounding 19 times.

F Khadeem Lattin: N/A

Lattin started, but played only seven minutes. Due to the scrappy, back-and-forth nature of this game, I barely noticed he was not on the court, and didn't care about his absence.

G Isaiah Cousins: 6

Cousins is one of Oklahoma's trio of good guards. He played fairly well this game, making some clutch shots. However, there are definitely some areas for improvement. Cousins scored 13 points, shooting 5-13 from the field, and made three of his nine 3pt attempts. He finished the game with six assists, but also turned the ball over four times, again the team turned the ball over almost once every two minutes. Cousins also picked up four fouls.

G Buddy Hield: 9.5

Hield surprisingly returned for his senior season. In a time when more players than ever are leaving college early to enter the NBA, Hield is one of few players who came back to college despite knowing he would have been picked. As a result, he is one of the favorites to be College Basketball's best player this season. Buddy reinforced this idea during Oklahoma's opening game. Hield scored a game high 30 points. He shot 9-19, and made 50% of his 3pt attempts, 4-8. He also shot 8-10 from the free throw line, many of which came late in the game when the Sooners were closing out their win. He played best down the stretch with the game on the line. Hield also grabbed eight rebounds, had six assists, and three steals. I was particularly impressed with Hield's athleticism as he went up to challenge Memphis' bigs for rebounds. The only problem with Hield's performance was his four turnovers, which isn't surprising considering how many the team accumulated.

G Jordan Woodard: 8

Woodard played a little less than fellow starting guards, Hield and Cousins. That is because he was most often in foul trouble. He scored 15 points, in 30 minutes played. He shot 5-11 from the field, and 2-3 overall. He also finished the game with nine rebounds, and seven assists. Shockingly, he turned the ball over just once. Woodard is Oklahoma's point guard when he is on the floor with the other guards, leading the team in assists a year ago. He showed again this game that he is very good at running this offense.

C Jamuni McNeace: 2

McNeace is a redshirt freshman, who gives the team additional size. He was not effective this game. In only nine minutes, he turned the ball over three times, and fouled three times. He also scored three points, and grabbed two rebounds.

F Dante Buford: 7

Buford is another redshirt freshman. He played 23 minutes in this game, and often was the only forward beside Spangler. Buford made some good contributions on defense. He grabbed eight rebounds, blocked two shots, and also grabbed a steal. He also only fouled on one occasion all game, which may be his most impressive stat this game. Buford only scored five points, but was two for four, and made one of his two 3pt shots. Buford needs to be a bigger factor on the offensive end if he is going to be receiving 20 minutes or more, but he proved to be a good contributor despite being undersized at the four position—he is listed at 6'7 225lbs.

G Christian James: 5

James is a true freshman playing behind a veteran lineup of guards who will receive most of the minutes each game. However, he got in there against Memphis, and took some shots. He was 2-7 from the field, and one of two from three. He scored seven points total, making him the team's fifth leading scorer.

Team Rating: 7.2

This was a very difficult opening game for Oklahoma. Most teams opened their season against a Lehigh, or South Alabama, or Fairfield, etc. but, Oklahoma traveled to take on an underrated Memphis team on the road, and ended up defeating them, while coming from behind. Oklahoma's trio of guards proved to be more dangerous than they were a year ago thanks to the return of dominating shooting guard Buddy Hield, and Ryan Spangler is a nice big man. Damon Buford is also a nice addition to this team, and makes for a solid fifth player. The question I have for Oklahoma is size. How will they deal with bigger teams—I'm picturing Kansas with Ellis, and potentially, hopefully, Diallo, especially if Spangler gets into foul trouble? Also, there is limited depth to this Oklahoma team. Three players played 35 minutes or more, and a fourth played 30, and would have played more if he was not in foul trouble. The top four players on this Oklahoma team are great, and if judging them just on the strength of Spangler, Hield, Cousins, and Woodard, Oklahoma would be a top-five team. However, there is limited talent behind them. That said, I was more impressed with Oklahoma than I have been with fellow top-ten teams: Virginia and Iowa State.

Memphis

I'm going to make this brief. I do like Memphis, I think they're a little underrated considering the love SMU is getting. I would, of course, love them more if Austin Nichols did not transfer, coincidently to Virginia, I believe. But, they are still a highly talented team with some good incoming players.

F Shaq Goodwin: 7

Goodwin is a solid big man. He averaged 9.6 points and 7.1 rebounds last season. He is essential to the team on the defensive end. Against Oklahoma he grabbed seven rebounds, and blocked FIVE shots. He also scored only seven points on 2-7 shooting, and was additionally only 3-7 from the line.

F Dedric Lawson: 8

Freshman, Dedric Lawson, steps into the role previously occupied by Austin Nichols. Lawson, who was a top-50 recruit, is a long forward who can play facing the basket. He led Memphis with 22 points, but only shot 6 for 15, and one for five from three point range. Lawson went to the line an astonishing 15 times, and scored nine points from the stripe. Lawson's biggest effect on the game was rebounding, especially on the offensive boards. 10 of his 15 rebounds came on the offensive end. He grabbed a couple of steals, and blocked three shots. Lawson did turn the ball over a team high four times. Lawson is one of the most talented newcomers in the AAC, and should get better over the course of the season as he learns to be the team's go-to player.

G Markel Crawford: 6

Crawford played 22.7 minutes as a sophomore last season, but he joins the starting lineup this year. This game he scored 12 points, tied for second on the team, while shooting six of nine. He turned the ball over three times.

G Ricky Tarrant: 4

Tarrant is a graduate transfer from Alabama. He scored 13.1 points for the Crimson Tide last season. He has not been as successful thus far this year though. Tarrant shot only 2-10 from the field this game, scoring eight points, and went 1-6 in Memphis' opener against Southern Miss. He is shooting only 1-8 from three point range. This game he did lead Memphis in assists, five, and did not turn the ball over.

G Avery Woodson: 5.5

Woodson played the most minutes last season of any returning player. Against Oklahoma he shot 4-11, and 4-9 from the arc, scoring 12 points. He is a 3pt specialist shot 37.7% from that range last season, and little else.

F Trahson Burrell: 6

Burrell played big minutes off the bench for Memphis. He went 5-10, scoring 10 points, and grabbed six rebounds. Burrell is a versatile player, who could replace one of the guards when Memphis wants to play bigger, or play alongside Goodwin or Lawson.

F KJ Lawson: 4

Lawson is another freshman. He is Dedric's brother, although a year older (Dedric was a part of the 2016 class). KJ played 19 minutes this game, but was not as productive as Burrell. He scored six points on 2-10 shooting, while grabbing five rebounds, getting a couple steals, but also recorded three turnovers, and fouled four times. KJ gives the team another versatile forward off the bench, and should be a regular part of the rotation.

G Jeremiah Martin: 3

Finally, Jeremiah Martin came in as a reserve guard. He shot 0-3 from the field, and finished with only a single point. He did dish two assists though.

Team Rating: 5.0

Memphis put up a determined effort against Oklahoma, but ultimately, they shot too poorly to pull out the win. Memphis shot just 34.6% from the field, and 23.1% from 3pt range, furthermore, they shot 58.1% from the line, while taking 31 free shots there. Memphis stayed in the game exclusively due to their offensive rebounding, 23 of their 48 rebounds were offensive, and Oklahoma's 19 turnovers. Memphis has a lot of potential, they have a good recruiting class, and some veteran guards who should lead this team, but they need to make shots. Their ability to get second chance opportunities on the offensive glass will pester teams all year, but they need to take advantage of them. Dedric will be the star of this team due to his explosive ability and size, but it is the guards who will determine how well this team performs. They need to step up, and consistently deliver points.

Syracuse vs St. Bonaventure

Syracuse Orange[men]

C DaJuan Coleman: 3

The good news is Coleman managed to stay out of foul trouble. He fouled once all game. The bad news is he still only played 14 minutes. Coleman was not effective early in the game, and was quickly pulled in favor of Chinoso Obokoh—briefly, and ultimately Tyler Lydon who played under the basket most of the game. Syracuse did at least try to get their big men involved early. Their first two plays were designed to Coleman. However, Coleman's first shot was an awkward runner far from the basket, and he missed it badly. This likely led to him missing significant time. Coleman also did not look comfortable in the middle of the zone; he made a number of errors on the defensive end. He came out multiple times on ball handlers, or following a pass, and left a huge hole in the middle, which the Bonnies attacked. Coleman looked as though he did not trust the zone, which is a massive red flag when you're a Syracuse center. Coleman did come back in the second half, once Syracuse had taken the lead, and finished the game with four points, four rebounds, and a block. It is too bad Coleman sat a majority of the game. Syracuse was out rebounded 33 to 43, and Coleman's size, and rebounding ability would have been an asset in combating the rebounding discrepancy. Coleman rebounded a ball once every three and a half minutes he was on the court, which was a much better rate than any Syracuse player other than Tyler Roberson. Also, no St. Bonaventure player had a better rate than Coleman, and they out rebounded the Cuse by 10.

F Tyler Roberson: 5

Although Coleman stayed foul trouble free, Roberson did not. In fact, Roberson picked up his second foul before the 15 minute mark of the first half, and he eventually fouled out late in the game. Despite this Roberson ended up playing almost 30 minutes, and he led all players with 12 rebounds. Five of his rebounds were on offense too. Unfortunately though, Roberson was not effective on offense. He scored only six points, shooting two of five from the field, and two of five from the free throw line. Roberson needs to be a factor on offense for Syracuse to be competitive against good team. He has good offensive potential, because of his combination of size, strength, and athleticism, even though he is not very skilled. He has yet to show anything offensively this season.

F Malachi Richardson: 6

Richardson is proving to be a pretty consistent shooter for Syracuse. He scored 15 points this game (he scored 14 in the opener), shooting 5 for 11, though only 2 for 7 from 3pt range. Richardson only got two rebounds this game, struggling as the Orange did as a whole on the glass. However, he did show a good handle once again, and was better passing the ball, ending the game with three assists, and lowering his number of turnovers to two (from five). Richardson fell in love with the three early in the game, which lowered his shooting percentage beyond the arc. But, he did show glimpses of his all around offensive game, driving to the basket, and hitting pull up jumpers from mid range.

G Michael Gbinije: 8

This was a much better performance from Gbinije. He showed, particularly in the second half, why I thought he would be an All-ACC performer this season. He is incredible at driving to the basket, and making plays offensively. He took a variety of shots this game, taking threes when he needed too, but also scoring at the basket, and beating defenders off the dribble. This led to his shooting percentage rising. In total he scored a game high, 23 points, shoooting 8 for 14 from the field, and 3 for 7 from beyond the arc. He also recorded six assists, and lowered his number of turnovers to three this game.

G Trevor Cooney: 6

Cooney had mixed results this game. Throughout the first half, he was terrible. He took too many bad shots, often shooting threes early in the shot clock, and occasionally driving into traffic, when he did drive into traffic he threw the ball up for a difficult two. Yes, Cooney did end up with 18 points. However, he shot 4 of 12 from the field, and 2 of 8 from 3pt range. He piled points on at the end of the game at the free throw line, where he shot 8 of 11. Despite another mediocre game offensively, Cooney was great on defense, especially late in the game. Cooney stole the ball six times. At one point he stole the ball on two consecutive possessions, each time earning a trip to the charity stripe. Cooney was phenomenal helping Syracuse close out this game. However, he needs to become a better halfcourt-offense player.

F Tyler Lydon 6

Tyler Lydon was the only bench player to exceed seven minutes. He ended up playing 31, while Coleman sat on the bench most of the game. That means Lydon was usually positioned underneath the basket in Syracuse's 2-3 zone. This was not a position he looked comfortable in. He had trouble communicating with his wings, when he moved out of the middle. Lydon has a lot of great tools on the offensive side of the ball, which he showcased this game. He made both of his three point attempts. He also set up those threes by pump faking from the top of the key, and either dribbling forward and pulling up for a mid range jumper, driving all the way to the basket, or passing out to the wing. In total, Lydon scored 13 points, shooting 3-5, and making all five of his free throw attempts as well. Lydon also did well to avoid foul trouble, as he only fouled twice all game despite playing in the middle of the zone.

G Franklin Howard N/A

Howard came in and played more minutes than last game. He even picked up a couple of assists, but was not a significant contributor.

G Kaleb Joseph N/A

Despite showing some signs of improvement last game, Jospeh played only four minutes...and into the Boeheim doghouse he goes?

C Chinoso Obokoh N/A

Despite player exceptional defense, and Coleman playing limited minutes, Obokoh only played a single minute before being withdrawn.

Team Rating: 5.95

It was A Tale of Two Halves for Syracuse against St. Bonaventure. In the first half, they looked completely inept on offense. They too often settled for poor shots either in traffic, or outside early in the shot clock. Then they scored 50 points in the second; often utilizing ball penetrating to get the ball to the basket. Syracuse, Michael Gbinije, needs to focus on getting the ball inside, and driving to the basket. Whenever Gbinije decides to take the ball to the hoop, he does. Kaleb Joseph is also good at getting to the basket. This will open up the perimeter, and give Cooney and Richardson better opportunities. Syracuse all needs to rebound better. There is no excuse for allowing St. Bonaventure to out rebound you by 10; that is embarrassing. This may mean Syracuse places more of a commitment to DaJuan Coleman's playing time (unless they are limiting his minutes because he is still coming back from injury), as Coleman can be a terrific rebounder on both sides of the ball. The second half of this game was a step forward for Syracuse, but they still have a ways to go before they are ready for the ACC season. 

College Basketball Opening Night Player Ratings: Syracuse Orange, and Iowa State Cyclones

This year I am recapping games in a similar fashion that soccer matches are recapped. Following a game, each player receives a rating 1-10 based upon their performance. Over the course of time you can see how they are playing in stretches, and how the team overall is performing based upon the form of their players. I think this is an effective way to evaluate basketball games. Especially when, at the end of the season, it is not always the most talented team that wins, or the team that had the most victories during the season, but the team that is experiencing the greatest of run of form. So, with no further introduction, here is the first batch of player ratings from Opening Night. 7 Iowa State vs Colorado, and Lehigh @ Syracuse were the two games I watched. I did not create player ratings for Lehigh and Colorado, because I don't find them interesting.

Friday 11/13/2005

Syracuse 57 Lehigh 47

Syacuse Orange[men]

C DaJuan Coleman 2

After missing the last 22 months due to injury, Coleman started tonight, and played—13 minutes. Coleman picked up two quick fouls in the first, and sat the rest of the half. He played more in the second; Coleman even managed to score an easy two the one time Syracuse was able to move the ball around effectively. However, this game has to be a major disappointment for Coleman. In the second half, Coleman had his limited minutes because Obokoh and Lydon simply proved to be better interior defenders. Syracuse needs Coleman to play, because he is one of two players capable of scoring the ball in the post, and the Orange[men] desperately need to add that layer to their attack.

F Tyler Roberson 4

Roberson only played 21 minutes, despite picking up zero fouls. He finished the fame 0-3 from the field, scoring zero point. He did however, grab five rebounds, and even dished out a pair of assists. Syracuse, Boeheim, gave up on Roberson way too early in this game, taking him out of the game did not improve the team. Roberson and Coleman were not able to get things going on the offensive end, but they were hardly given a chance; they combined to take five shots. The guards were either unable to give them the ball, or too busy shooting early in the shot clock. Removing Roberson from the game, especially when Coleman is already out for fouls, completely eliminates any threat in the low post on offense. It also removes Syracuse's best rebounder. Lehigh rebounded only two less balls than Syracuse, and grabbed 11 offensive rebounds. Roberson would especially have been helpful offensive rebounding due to his athleticism, and willingness to crash the glass. This quality was needed in this game when Syracuse's offense was reduced to hoisting three point shots. But, alas, Roberson was stuck on the bench twiddling his thumbs. Roberson needs to play 30 minutes a game. His 4 rating in this game has less to do with him, and more to do with the manner in which he was utilized. Rant Over.

F Malachi Richardson 6

Malachi Richardson had a mixed debut, but ultimately he was one of the few positive contributors. The headlines will say Richardson led Syracuse to victory, and leave it at that, but it is far from that simple, or positive sounding. Richardson scored 14 points, but shot only 5-12 (42%) from the field, although he shot better from 3pt range, 4-9. Richardson was good on the defensive end. He used his length to his advantage on the wing, leading the team with three steals. He also grabbed six rebounds. However, Richardson turned the ball over five times as well. He showed a pretty good handle, and controlled the ball well, but he had a real problem passing the ball, often making extremely poor choices. #FreshmanMistakes. Overall it was a good game from the four-star freshman, and he was one of the few exciting players this game.

G Michael Gbinije 5

Gbinije led the team in points with 16. That does not make his performance impressive. He shot 5-13 (39%), and was only 2-9 from three. Gbinije started at point guard for Syracuse, but finished the game with only two assists. Meanwhile, he turned the ball over four times. Gbinije was at his best last season—and again in this game, when he is slashing into the lane, or driving in with the ball towards the basket. He is a good finisher while driving, and this also opens up other players, like Roberson and Coleman for easy stuffs, or Cooney and Richardson for open threes. In this game, Gbinije and Cooney chose to stay outside the arc until one of them threw up a three. That kind of offense does not work. Gbinije could be a great player this year, but he cannot abandon what made him effective last season. Syracuse will benefit from him driving to the basket, and occasionally shooting from outside.

G Trevor Cooney 4

Cooney also scored in double figures, 13, but that does not mean his performance was good this game. He shot 4-13 (31%), and 3-9 from three. On the bright side, His 33.3% from three this game was better than his 30.9% from a year ago. Hooray the little things! Cooney also turned the ball over four times. He and Gbinije need to spread the ball around more. They are not going to be effective if they play the way they did tonight.

C Chinoso Obokoh 7

Obokoh ended up with 15 minutes played in this game. He was very effective on the defensive end. One of the big questions surrounding Syracuse this season was who would replace Rakeem Christmas, on both the offensive and defensive end, and although the still do not have an answer on offense, Obokoh proved to be a very good rim protector, and defensive specialist. He finished the game with four blocks (in 15 minutes!).

F Tyler Lydon 6

Lydon played starter's minutes, 28, in place of Coleman and Roberson, and saw time both in the middle of the zone, and on the wing opposite Richardson. Lydon proved to be a very good defender in both spots. He blocked two shots, and also stole three balls, tying Richardson for the team lead. Lydon was also great at grabbing rebounds, 11, using his length exceptionally well. Interestingly, Lydon was thought to be an immediate asset on offense, because he is a good outside shooter. However, in this game he scored only four points, shooting 1-4, and 0-3 from three. He struggled offensively, but did everything else well. The prospect of Lydon putting both aspects of his game together is very exciting though.

G Kaleb Joseph 6

Kaleb Joseph struggled last season, which earned him a spot on the bench the latter half of his freshman season, and he will defer to Cooney and Gbinije to start this season. However, Joseph was one of the bright spots this game, and should have been played more than 14 minutes, based upon the flow of the game. Jospeh scored eight points—again, in just 14 minutes, on 2-3 shooting, all his shots were from 3pt range, and he also went 2-2 from the free throw line. He also had one assist, one steal, and most importantly, did not turn the ball over. Joseph was the best player when he was on the court, and he should have played more in the second half.

G Franklin Howard N/A

Howard came in for four minutes in the first half. He did not play long enough to discuss.

Team Rating: 4.89

Syracuse got the win. But, they looked terrible tonight. This game showed just how valuable Rakeem Christmas was to this team last year. Without him, Syracuse had no scoring presence in the low post. That will have to change if Syracuse wants to improve. Instead, Syracuse relied way too heavily on the three pointer. They took 34 threes, which means 65% of their shots came from beyond the arc. Luckily, they did not shoot too horribly from there, 32.4%, but that is not a viable way to score consistently. Syracuse's offense was extremely unbalance—and not just because two thirds of their attempts came from deep, but because three players: Richardson, Cooney, and Gbinije were responsible for 75% of Syracuse's shots! Syracuse needs to spread the ball around more on offense, and their key players need to be more selective taking shots. The key will be Gbinije driving to hoop. His ability to penetrate will upon up the rest of the offense. Playing Kaleb Joseph more could also lead to a more balanced offense. Joseph would be the primary ball handler, which would take the ball out of the hands of the three main culprits in what became a downtown bonanza. Syracuse also needs to commit to Tyler Roberson playing consistent minutes for them. He is an essential piece on offense, and they need to get him the ball in areas where he can score. When Roberson was on the floor, you often saw him playing just above the free throw line, where Christmas liked to receive the ball last year. So, you could see Syracuse was attempting to run a play for him there, but they quit on him too easily. On the defensive side, the zone was very good. The advantage to playing Gbinije and Cooney at the top of the zone is their length, and their ability to create steals. Richardson and Lydon have also adapted to the zone quickly, and their tailor-made to be successful pieces on defense. Obokoh was the key piece as the rim protector in the center of the zone. He was exceptional against Lehigh. However, Obokoh still has zero upside on offense. So, it is still important that Coleman stays on the court, and finds an offensive rhythm. In all, Syracuse got the win, but they did look strong doing so. They need to adapt, and play better offensively, otherwise they will get destroyed during the ACC season.


7 Iowa State 68 Colorado 62

Iowa State Cyclones

F Jameel McKay: 6

McKay finished the game with eight points, and 10 rebounds, nearly a double-double. Despite those solid numbers, McKay played only 26 minutes because he was often in foul trouble; he finished with four fouls. He also turned the ball over three times, and was 0-3 at the foul line. McKay played much better in the second half than he did the first, when his defense also suffered.

F Georges Niang: 7

Niang scored 17 points, shooting 7-14 from the field. However, Niang did not look like an All-American level of player. This could have been a showcase game for Niang. But, despite finishing with a nice point total, he missed several easy shots that would have allowed him to break 20. His defense was also lazy at times, and ended the game with four fouls as well. Niang only had four rebounds all game, as well. Niang did show off his solid handle of the ball. He did a nice job driving into the lane, and getting himself to hit high percentage shots, but missed, as previously mentioned, a few easy ones. Niang only turned the ball over once though, which is great considering how often he dribbles the ball.

F Abdel Nader: 6

Nader finished the game with 14 points and six rebounds, shooting 6-13. However, Nader missed both of his attempted threes, badly. He also picked up four fouls; yep, all three forwards had four fouls by the end of the game. Nader did not play well on defense either for much of the game. He failed to pressure George King when he was behind the arc, and was responsible for three uncontested three pointers made. Nader did a play better in the second half defensively, he got a couple blocks, and grabbed a couple steals, which led to easy points on the other end.

G Nazareth Mitrou-Long: 6

Mitrou-Long started the game fast. However, he cooled down halfway through the first, and remained that way through the second half as well. Mitrou-Long finished with 13 points, shooting a stellar 5-9, and 2-5 from three. However, he also turned the ball over five times. He did show poise in transition, and on fast breaks though. Mittrou-Long proved he can be a good scorer for this team, but he needs to show a more complete game.

G Monte Morris: 7

Morris looked like the Cyclones' best player. Sure, he only shot 42% from the field, and was 0-1 from three, but he was the clear leader of this team. The Cyclones were most dangerous when Morris had the ball in his hans. He showed an incredible ability to drive to the basket, where he could either finish in traffic, or open things up inside for other players. He is a good ball handler, turning the ball over just twice in 36 minutes. He finished the game with four assists. Morris was also an asset on defense, and finished the game with three steals, and five rebounds.

G Matt Thomas: 3

Matt Thomas was the first man off the bench, and the most utilized reserve, playing 24 minutes. He finished the game with only four points, shooting 2-7 from the field, and missing both of his 3pt attempts. The two shots he did make came from uncontested lay ups. He grabbed five rebounds, but was not a great asset on defense; Iowa State was forced to play small when he was in the lineup.

G Hallice Cooke: 6

Hallice Cook only played 13 minutes. But, he displayed some promise. He has a good handle, and tallied two assists in his limited time on the court. He also grabbed a steal and three rebounds. Cooke was the better of the two reserves, and Iowa State would be more interesting with him playing alongside Morris and Mitrou-Long when one of the bigs have to sit.

Team Rating: 6.05

Iowa State was not able to put away Colorado until the final minute of the game. They did not shoot particularly well, 2-10 from 3pt range, 53.3% from the FT line, despite shooting 44.6% overall. They fouled way too much, each of the forwards picked up four fouls, and that will be a struggle for Iowa State all season. It especially hurt them, because they do not have a deep bench. They also lack size after the three starters; Matt Thomas was the tallest player to come off the bench, and he's 6'4. The absence of frontcourt depth is the biggest concern for the Cyclones. Once McKay leaves the court, they have to play small, and move Niang up to play against opposing centers; he is not the same kind of defender, and rim protector that McKay is. Based on this performance, Iowa State did not look like the seventh best team in the country. They are not a top ten team for me.